Walking alongside the Vltava River to the Prague Castle (22 September 2024)

 

Prague Castle

The day dawned bright and sunny.  Our apartment was about two hundred metres from the Vtlava and being a nice day we thought we would walk alongside the river.  It was a good decision as it was a photographer’s paradise or at least this photographer.  The reflections on the water were great and undisturbed by either wind or boats.  It was clearly a place that lots of people walked. 



 

About halfway toward our ultimate destination, the Charles Bridge, Bev spied a coffee shop which required us to take our lives in our hands and negotiate tram lines and car traffic.  The coffee was not too bad although I didn’t get a decaf coffee.  It was water for me.  Bev was happy.

Happiness is a cup of coffee and pastry

 

Soon enough we were near the Charles Bridge and we had to stop for the Dancing House which was built in 1992 . Very interesting architecturally. 

The Dancing House

 

We had a walking tour booked and on the western side of the river over the bridge we found our guide.  It was a personal tour which was nice.  The throngs on the bridge were a reminder of how many tourists there are and how they can in some ways spoil a rather beautiful bridge which is lined with interesting statues, all of which we found out later represented some bit of Czech history. 

The writing underneath the cross is in Hebrew and is an apology


 

We were shown Lennon's Wall where a picture of John Lennon was put many years ago.  The picture has long gone and now the wall has an ever changing melange of paintings.  There was one large one of Lennon but it was slowly being painted away by other images. 


 

We were shown the flood defences that had been deployed.  Occasionally the river floods very seriously (it was in flood mode due flooding further east of the city).  They were a very clever system of interlocking aluminium panels that have worked and been adopted by other countries and means there is no need to build permanent levees. 

The lego levee
 After the tour we went up to the castle area.  We were told that it is largest palace complex in Europe.  It is the residence of the President now but of course was once the home of Czech Kings.  It has been beautifully maintained and is very large with surprisingly little obvious security.   Although we did have our own special encounter with the armed forces.

 

Bev had just climbed up one of the spires of the former cathedral.  It was 280 steps with several stops to catch her breath.  The views were apparently breathtakingly good. 

 

We were about to leave the complex and began walking between a couple of guardsmen in their little sentry boxes when we were almost tackled by a burly soldier.  He gesticulated to get away and kept pushing us quite forcefully . We felt like (unintentionally) very disobedient tourists.  I had just observed one of the guardsman talking to himself.  I think the standing still for so long must have been getting to him.  To continue, we then saw another more senior guardsman march to the sentry boxes and stamp to a halt, about turn and then with the two guardsmen march  from the sentry boxes and back toward what I presume were the barracks.  We had been in their path so no wonder we brutally ushered out of the way. 

A  poor photo of our encounter with the guardsmen

 

Next on the agenda was  a concert in the St Salvator Church.  We had a little time beforehand so decided to have a light dinner and chose a vegan restaurant.  It was in a rabbit warren of a building, with narrow steps for access, requiring us to go up several flights of stairs to dine.  The food we got was very good.  Fresh and interesting.

 

Unfortunately we then had to rush down from the restaurant and across a bridge to get to the church.  We made just a few minutes late but there was no problem with entry.  The music was divine, my favourite being a Toccata by Bach played on a magnificent organ.  The sound filled the church and the organist was excellent.  We also enjoyed some arias from a soprano and there was a very good violinist.  Unfortunately it was only an hour in length.  The pews on which we sat had to be the most uncomfortable seats I have ever been on.  I think they were designed to keep the worshippers in the past awake through a boring latin mass. 

 

As we travelled back on the tram we got a beautiful view of Prague Castle all lit up.  It was spectacular.  Ideally I would have taken a photo but I don’t think I could have kept the camera still enough to get a good picture.  At least I have it in my memory. 

 


Looking south over Prague


Another view of part of the palace

Through the gate from the Charles Bridge to Lesser Town


In Lesser Town





Tourists everywhere

The cathedral tower that Bev climbed

Looking down on the part of the palace complex

 

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